EU force records 79 pirate attacks near Bab el-Mandeb since November 2023

European Union naval officers recorded 79 pirate attacks between the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean since November 2023, according to an Associated Press report from aboard the Operation Atalanta frigate.

Roughly 30 of those attacks occurred after the outbreak of the Iran war in February, said Portuguese Commodore José Rodrigues Pedra, sea commander of the Atalanta mission. The Associated Press tracked six commercial vessels hijacked between April and August 2026.

Five of the hijacked vessels were later released, but the Tanzanian-flagged tanker MT Asana remained held in Somali waters as of October 16, according to Atalanta updates. The International Maritime Organization reported 22 seafarers remained captive on the ship.

The Bab el-Mandeb strait has gained added importance as an alternative route for Persian Gulf oil exports because traffic through the Strait of Hormuz faces severe disruption, according to the report.

Conditions for piracy to re-emerge have always existed in the region, according to Jakob Larsen, safety and security chief for shipowners association BIMCO. Rising fuel prices caused by the Iran war have compelled some individuals to seek piracy as a livelihood, Larsen noted.

Analysts from the Royal United Services Institute and Chatham House said regional instability and economic distress encourage piracy, while shipping companies face higher costs for insurance and private security guards.

What do these terms mean?

Bab el-Mandeb: A strategic maritime strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, serving as a key choke point for international shipping.

Chokepoint: A narrow geographical pass or waterway through which international trade and shipping must travel.

Flagged tanker: A commercial oil transport vessel registered under a specific nation state's maritime flag and regulatory framework.